Friday, September 22, 2017

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.” ― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

There's been many moments in my life that seemed to slowly stretch on forever, and in a sense they did because when I close my eyes and think back, I can still feel everything I felt the first time. I can't tell you the day, or time, or year, but I can still remember sitting in my backyard in fall just watching the leaves blow across yard. Or just a few years ago, sitting outside in a restaurant patio reading a book and munching on cheese sticks on a beautiful day. Or how I'd feel every time I ran—after I'd trained myself past the huffing and puffing phase.

Spending a moment to meditate on what made me feel happy, optimistic, and part of something larger than myself brought into focus how important it is to remind myself of those moments. They are what make hard work worthwhile. It's those moments you work toward experiencing every day. After a moment of reflection, I selected a card to be my "positivity talisman." I drew the Wheel, a symbol of continuity, fluctuation, and permanence.

The one constant in life is change. What goes up must come down. And so the wheel turns ever so steadily on. When it crushes you beneath its weight, eventually it releases you as it turns upward. Rather than emotionally riding the wheel around and around, it's important to be centered in order to look at the bigger picture and see where its turning will take you next.